2008 Archives

TriMet will test bike access options in Rose Quarter Transit Center

Sign at entrance to Rose Quarter
Transit Center.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Rose Quarter Transit Center has long been a barrier to bikes. But now TriMet, the City of Portland and the BTA are teaming up to test new options intended to “find a safe and reliable” way for bikes to get through the transit center.

According to TriMet’s communications manager Mary Fetsch, on June 11, TriMet will conduct two tests that will involve new bike lanes, a bike box, temporary bus stop locations in addition to cones and lane striping on the street.

The first test will be carried out from 7:00 – 9:00am and the second will happen from 3:00 – 5:00pm. The BTA has rounded up 25 cyclists to help with the test.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Join Pink Martini and support the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) on Friday, June 6th!

The BTA has been chosen as a beneficiary of Pink Martini’s FundFest 2008 concert series, being held June 3-6 at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom.

Each night of FundFest will be attended by one of the four beneficiaries: Friends of Trees (Tuesday, June 3), KBOO Community Radio (Wednesday, June 4), Outside In (Thursday, June 5), and the BTA (Friday, June 6). The goal of Fundfest 2008 is to raise a total of $80,000, or $20,000 for each of the four non-profit organizations.

Tickets are on sale now at $20 in advance, or $25 the day of show. Tickets can be purchased through the Crystal Ballroom box office or through Ticketmaster.

In addition to the concert each of these four nights, there will be a special patron reception before the show on Friday, June 6th from 6-8pm. At this patron event, Thomas Lauderdale will be performing George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Other Pink Martini band members will be in attendance as well, and admission to that evening’s concert is included. Tickets for the patron event are $100 and can be purchased through the BTA by contacting Heather at heather@bta4bikes.org.

Fundfest is generously supported by McMenamins, Willamette Week, and The Portland Mercury.

Download a press release here.

Bike industry leaders will hold Obama fundraiser — and he’ll take a bike ride

“It’s really an opportunity to talk about bikes with Barack.”
— SRAM CEO Stan Day in Bicycle Retailer magazine

BicycleRetailer.com reports that the president and CEO of component manufacturer SRAM will hold a fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

According to the story, “the event’s goal is to introduce Obama to industry leaders and to discuss cycling’s positive impact on health, energy policy, transportation issues and the environment,” and the event is limited to 100 attendees who will pay $2,300 each for the opportunity.

Oregon’s new Share the Road license plate has reached an important sales milestone.

According to Debi Mercer with the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, over 1,000 of the specialty plates have been sold (at a rate of about 7-15 per day) since they became available at the beginning of 2008 .

This sign welcomes customers at ReStore
on SE Morrison Street.
(Photo © J. Maus)

With public consciousness of high gas prices at all-time high and with a noticeable rise in bike traffic on Portland streets, some local businesses are flying their bike-friendly flags by offering special discounts to lure human-powered customers.

There are many businesses throughout Portland that offer special perks for their bike-riding clientele (who can forget the bike-thru window?). Here are two I’ve come across recently.

This is a monthly feature to remind you that when you buy a used bike from the Community Cycling Center’s retail shop (1700 NE Alberta) you are not just getting a cool bike, you’re also helping fund their amazing education programs for low-income youth and adults.

Bicycle racing in the north Mississippi Avenue neighborhood on June 14th 2008

Hundreds of racers will take to the streets for this inaugural event – Cirque du Cycling Criterium

Portland, Ore. Bicycle racing comes to North Portland for the Cirque du Cycling Criterium presented by Laughing Planet Café, which is just part of a full afternoon of cycling activities that includes a family ride, live music, bike parade, and exhibitors. The event is a benefit for Self
Enhancement, Inc. (SEI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to guiding underserved youth to realize their full potential.

Read more

BTA will pursue vehicular homicide law in 2009

“Tim and I would have been married 50 years this April but I celebrated this anniversary
by myself because a dangerous driver ran him down on his bike.”
— Mary O’Donnell

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) announced yesterday that they will pursue a vehicular homicide law in the 2009 session of the Oregon State Legislature.

They plan to make a public announcement at a press conference on Monday (June 9) in the law offices of the attorneys representing the family of the late Tim O’Donnell — a 66 year-old Aloha resident who was killed while riding his bike on a rural road in Washington County last year.

[NOTE: Read the comments below this article for thoughts and perspectives from readers that attended the hearing.]

A packed crowd has assembled at Metro Headquarters in northeast Portland for a public hearing on the Columbia River Crossing project.

Over 60 people have signed up to speak and extra chairs have been brought out to accommodate everyone. Faces in the crowd include Coalition for Livable Future’s Jill Fugilister, notable critic of the project Ron Buel (he’s the guy that wants to bury the I-5 freeway), veteran transportation activist Jim Howell (he played a role in the defeat of the Mt. Hood Freeway), former City Council candidate Chris Smith, and others.

A street performer who plays trumpet and works the evening rush-hour commute crowd on the Hawthorne Bridge has drawn attention for something other than his talents.

In a white suit, shoes, and cap, the man performs gags and tricks and bellows tunes on his trumpet while seated on a median island positioned between SW Madison Street and an onramp to the bridge from Naito Parkway (map of location).

The Oregonian is reporting that the family of Brett Jarolimek has filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the driver of the garbage truck in the fatal collision back in October.

According to reporter Joseph Rose, the family is, “claiming 40-year-old Bryan Lowes of Oregon City was negligent and should have never been behind the wheel.”

Rose also reports that the suit claims Lowes failed to yield the bike lane to Jarolimek and that his truck had a broken mirror that was attached with only a bungee cord (a fact that came out of the DA’s investigation).

Marion Rice and daughter Gleneden

[This article was written by our Carfree Families columnist Marion Rice. For previous articles in this series, and for links to other articles and photos on family biking, check out the Carfree Families Page.]

Some of you may wonder what this post has to do with family cycling, but I assure you it has everything to do with family cycling and the particular challenges women bikers face.

TriMet will test bike access options in Rose Quarter Transit Center

Pink Martini rocks for the BTA

Bike industry leaders will hold Obama fundraiser — and he’ll take a bike ride

Share the Road license plates reach sales milestone

Stores hope discounts lure bike-riding customers

CCC Bike of the Month – June

Press Release: Cirque du Cycling Criterium Coming to Mississippi Ave.

BTA will pursue vehicular homicide law in 2009

Packed crowds at Metro CRC hearing

Hawthorne Bridge performer poses safety quandary

Jarolimek’s family files lawsuit against garbage truck driver

Biking with the flow: The challenges for women during that time of the month

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